Chapter 26: Hello Nephew?

Star, Sarah, and Zuru walked towards the village exit, with the Red Queen ahead of them. They would have taken the southern exit, which was closer, if it hadn’t been completely blocked by jagged ice. Instead, they headed north, where the remaining safe houses were located.

Star’s mood was asunder. He couldn’t stop thinking about the body that had fallen onto his Matter Shield and the severed leg that followed. ’Who knows how many more people were killed and I couldn’t save them?’

Now he understood why Sarah had called his father a coward. His father may have been a hero, a great king who brought change to the kingdom, but almost the entire northern region had still been destroyed back then.

’Does that mean they were failures? Especially me?’

"You okay, Star?" Sarah asked calmly as she studied his distant expression.

Star forced a chuckle. "Yeah, I’m fine... Just got a bit worried about all this destruction, that’s all."

"Hey," Sarah said tenderly. "You did good." After giving him an assuring nod, she turned towards the Red Queen and exhaled.

’Okay, Sarah, you can do this... Just walk up to her and talk. Easy.’ With another deep breath, she strode towards the Red Queen.

"Hey," she greeted politely, too politely, before going ahead and grinning far too widely.

The Red Queen looked at her but didn’t return the warm smile.

"Hey to you too."

Zuru felt his skin crawl. He turned towards Star, flaring his nostrils. "She does remember that woman nearly stoned us to death, right?"

A pang of guilt crept down Star’s spine. He’d been one of the reasons they had nearly been stoned in the first place, but he kept his expression casual.

"Mm." He shrugged. "I also know she saved your lives."

Zuru exhaled, his shoulders relaxing. "Yeah. I guess you’re right."

Meanwhile, Sarah had hesitated for so long, struggling to figure out how to present her questions, that the Red Queen eventually glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"Got a problem, kid?"

Sarah glanced at her before lowering her eyes to her fingers.

"Well, spit it out already. I’m too lazy to be curious."

Sarah’s breath nearly caught. Someone as amazing as her was actually willing to hear her problems.

’Uh, Sarah, get a grip. She’s just another woman.’

She straightened herself and turned towards the Red Queen with a little more confidence.

"I... I’ve just been meaning to ask. The way you used your ability... It... I..." She exhaled. "I’ve never experienced anything like it before."

The Red Queen stared at her for a moment, her face completely blank. ’Well, any companion of Mother’s son deserves some respect from me... No matter how little.’ A gentle smile finally appeared on her face. "You’re also not that bad at using your own ability," she complimented, causing pride to immediately swell in Sarah’s chest.

"However, controlling an ability doesn’t mean you’ve mastered it. You first have to understand your limits, your energy source, your natural capabilities, and how your Mandate responds to your will. Once you understand those things, you can learn to use your power efficiently instead of simply throwing energy around and hoping it works."

Sarah’s expression became more attentive.

The Red Queen raised one finger. "Every ability has different functions hidden within it. Those functions are called Aspects. They’re specialized branches of your main Mandate, each designed for a particular application. The stronger you become, the more Aspects you can unlock and refine."

She tapped her temple lazily. "But energy matters too. You need to know how much Mandate energy you’re spending and how much your body can handle. A powerful attack means nothing if it empties your reserves after one use. That’s the difference between someone who merely possesses an ability and someone who has mastered it."

Sarah listened intently. Until now, she had simply manipulated her blood whenever she needed to survive, never realizing her Mandate could be broken down into different applications.

She stared at her hands. ’If there are branches to my ability... then what else can I do with my blood?’

She looked up. "But... how do I learn my Aspects? Or discover the other branches of my power?"

The Red Queen chuckled. "Mandate unlocking isn’t something you simply wake up one morning and decide to do. There’s a process to it. That’s one of the reasons Blesseds like us attend the I.V. Academy. Training gives you the knowledge and discipline to understand your Mandate properly. It would be wise if you attended too."

"Yeah," Zuru drawled from behind them as he walked alongside Star. "That’s not happening... Not after we’re known as thieves."

Sarah’s heart twisted. The Red Queen’s words had awakened something inside her. For the first time, she wanted something beyond finding the next house to rob. She wanted to know what her ability could truly become. But all those years of stealing now stood between her and that dream.

"Good point," the Red Queen replied carelessly. "Well, the High Prince here has attended an I.V. Academy." Her eyes widened. "Mother’s milk, he must have attended the one for nobles. The best of the best. Maybe he could teach you a thing or two."

Star blinked, his mouth opening slightly before he quickly realized he was now the center of attention. "Uh... I..."

But Sarah had already turned towards him, her eyes glinting with expectation. "That’s a great idea, isn’t it, Star?"

Star stared from the Red Queen to Sarah. ’How do I tell them I never got the chance to unlock my Aspects because I never got the rest of my powers?’ He looked at the excitement in Sarah’s eyes. She genuinely wanted to learn, and somehow, that made telling them to her feel even worse.

He exhaled before forcing a bright smile. "Y-yeah, hehe... It is."

"I guess I should be calling you Master now..." Sarah mused proudly. "Or Sensei... Yeah, definitely Sensei."

Star shook his head imperiously. "Yeah... Don’t-don’t call me that." He replied. ’I’ve learned a thing or two about unlocking Aspects. Tch! So what could possibly go wrong?’

"Alright, Sensei," Zuru taunted flatly, throwing an arm over Star’s shoulder.

Star frowned.

"Well, I’m sure the Red Queen will side with me when I say we should get outta here and begin training... Wouldn’t you, Re—" Zuru looked up. The Red Queen was already gone. "...ed Queen?"

He stared around in confusion. "Okay, where the hell did she go?"

Sarah, who had been beside her moments ago, looked equally shocked.

"I-I-I don’t know."

Zuru frowned. "Well, I guess she agrees we should really get out of here." As he spoke, he left Star behind and hurried ahead.

But he had barely taken two steps when—

"ZURU, WATCH OUT!"

"What?!"

Star reacted instantly. He thrust one arm forward... but he didn’t reach him, so he stretched farther and managed to grab the back of Zuru’s clothing. He yanked him forcefully backwards, and in that instant, a sharp sai-dagger came slicing through the air right in front of Zuru’s face.

For one terrifying second, Zuru even saw his own frightened reflection staring back at him from the blade before it flew past.

Yet he didn’t even have time to gather himself before Star shoved him forward again. The dagger had already passed them, but halfway through the air, it suddenly twisted around and came hurtling back towards Zuru. This time, Star’s shove sent him forward just in time, and the blade swept past the back of his head.

Zuru staggered forward before finally getting his balance. Shaking slightly, he turned towards Star.

"Why am I always the one things get thrown at?"

Star barely spared him a glance. "You’re welcome," he croaked detachedly.

"Hahahaha..." A tiny, distinctly girlish laugh drifted through the air.

"Did you see that, Cindela? Finally, someone with fast moves to fight. Yay..." The voice became almost dreamy. "Aw, I feel like I’m about to get boned. So hot."

"Universe!" Sarah and Zuru muttered simultaneously as all three turned toward the voice. Its owner was the very same person who had caught the sai-dagger.

She was the last thing Zuru expected.

A beautiful girl with dark eyes and hair gathered neatly at both temples. She wore a tight red leather outfit, zipped halfway, revealing a generous glimpse of cleavage beneath it. Her appearance carried a strange mixture of childish freedom and reckless confidence.

Beside her stood Cindella, more beautiful and noticeably more mature. Her hair flowed down her back, while she wore an elegant red gown slit boldly along one side. In both hands she held what appeared to be a folded fan. Her expression was quieter and colder, giving the two women the peculiar impression of contrasting twins—one all mischief and motion, the other all silence and restraint.

Star recognized them immediately. They were the ones who had held daggers at Mousack’s back. Now he understood why the old mage hadn’t been able to move. Even from a distance, Star could feel the darkness radiating from those blades.

Meanwhile, Cindela turned towards Cirella with a tired sigh. "I thought you heard my lord say the boy is his."

Cirella gasped, paying remarkably little attention to the part about the boy. "What do you mean, your lord?" She placed a hand against her chest as though genuinely offended. "Shouldn’t it be our lord or..." Her eyes narrowed before her lips curved into a knowing smile. "...Oh. You’ve been fucking him, haven’t you?"

Star and Zuru exchanged glances before slowly looking back at the two women.

"Gods, Ella, that’s embarrassing. Can’t you see we have guests?" Cindella answered, her expression remaining as stoic as ever. "Besides, I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Cirella frowned deeply, then stepped closer with a conspiratorial gleam in her eyes. "Of course you do. I can picture it in my head already... You going naked and throwing your shameless bo—"

"Okay, that’s enough," Sarah cut in quickly. "Have some manners. You’re in front of kids."

"Huh?" Cirella gasped as she turned towards Sarah.

Then she giggled. "Hahahaha!"

It was as though Sarah’s words had amused her far more than they had offended her. "Well, hello there, kiddy-kiddy."

Her tiny voice rang annoyingly in Sarah’s ears her throat tightened with irritation.

"Well, Ella, right?" she hissed.

"No, you don’t get to call me that." Cirella slowly drew her tongue along the flat of her dagger, more teasing than threatening, before she lowered it and gave Sarah a mischievous wink. "Not until I know you’re good in bed, at least."

Star swallowed.

"Well, why don’t you come over and let’s find out?" Sarah shot back irritably.

"Oooooh, dearie me." Cirella’s eyes widened with exaggerated delight. "You look like a feisty one. Maybe you really would be good in bed..." Her voice suddenly dropped into dramatic disappointment, and she pouted as though she’d just been denied the greatest amusement imaginable.

"Besides, I’d love that invitation. Need it, actually. It would’ve been hot..." She sighed theatrically, letting the moment linger before glancing toward the gathering disturbance around them. "...But too bad. The party has arrived."

Immediately, blue portals began shimmering into existence around them, energetic and almost alive. From within them, Nethros soldiers clad in their usual silver and red armor marched out, weapons already drawn.

Within moments, Star, Sarah, and Zuru were completely surrounded.

The three immediately leaned into one another, their backs together as they took fighting positions. Their eyes sharpened as they studied the soldiers closing in from every direction.

"This is bad," Sarah said, already weighing their odds.

Star was becoming increasingly incensed by the whole situation. He looked from the two girls to the many soldiers surrounding them, each one standing ready for battle.

"I asked for an uncle and I was given a treacherous menace."

"Yeah, yeah... At least he still plays the uncle role," Zuru said nonchalantly. "You weren’t the one who asked for a sister and was given a mother."

Sarah elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow! Okay, sorry. Maybe a grandmother, then?"

"Ow..." Sarah had nudged him again. "Okay okay... Mouth shut."

Star sighed, still searching for an escape route.

"Come on, guys. This is serious. What do we do?"

"I don’t know," Zuru muttered. "But maybe this is a good time for you to do another strange thing. Maybe turn them into tornadoes... Or-or walk us through the air and out of here. Or, even better, grow wings and fly us away."

Star shut his eyes in disappointment. "Zuru, you’re not hel—"

"I’M AFRAID HE CAN’T GROW WINGS..."

A deep voice resonated through the air, seeming to rumble through the very fabric of space.

"HIS WINGS HAVE BEEN CULLED."

Star’s eyes snapped open. He knew that voice.

"Dante," he muttered, agitation immediately tightening his expression.

Just then, a streak of golden flame shot across the sky. It moved so quickly that, if not for its enormous size, they might not have detected it at all.

And just as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished.

Sarah and Zuru kept looking at the sky but Star knew better. His gaze remained fixed directly ahead.

Then, without warning, a roaring mass of golden flames crashed into the ground before them. The fire surged higher and higher, twisting violently before folding inward upon itself.

When the flames finally receded, an imposing figure stood in their midst.

"Hello, nephew?"